From the August 3 edition of the Herald
Lawmaker appalled at Sarafin comments
To the editor:
I was truly appalled at the comments made by Mr. Gene Sarafin before the Hightstown Borough Council on July 10, as reported by the Windsor-Hights Herald. I found them repugnant and inappropriate, meriting a response only by their absurdity.
At the council meeting, Mr. Sarafin accused the owners of the former Minute Maid Plant property, who happen to be Orthodox Jews, of having plans to build a tax-exempt development. In his tirade, Mr. Sarafin made several derogatory comments against the Orthodox Jewish community, including making a misinformed comment about their dress.
In opposition to Mr. Sarafin’s allegations, Mr. Paul Josephson, the development group attorney, stated that the landowners have no plans to utilize the property for nonprofit purposes.
Mr. Sarafin’s comments against the Orthodox Jewish community, like any disparaging statements made against any faith, must not be tolerated. Fortunately, I believe that Mr. Sarafin’s remarks, as well as his angry shouting afterward, have hurt his cause more than they’ve helped it. Rational people see through blatant religious discrimination. We must stand against this type of bias and I encourage everyone to speak out against it.
Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck
12th legislative district
Sarafin responds to his critics
To the editor:
The hatred and anger writers Alan Hoffman and Marci Marshall project on me in their letters to the editor charging me with bigotry and Jew bating can only be inspired by the Hasidic Rabbinical leaders and investors in the Minute Maid property. It is the smoke screen for their anger of my revealing the plans for probable expansion of a community of heretic Orthodox Jews known as the Hasidim from Lakewood into Hightstown via the Minute Maid property.
Lakewood is a disaster with 50 percent tax-free properties as run by a Hasidic rabbinical government. They have a strong voting block interested only in their own group. Their loyalty to anything outside their group is merely a convenience. That will not happen in Hightstown as long as the Planning Board prevents the creation of tax-free properties in this potential Hasidic enclave. Without these tax breaks for Yeshivas in homes, the units would be unaffordable to married rabbinical students.
The original purchasers are Hasidim investors who paid $12 million for the 37-acre property. The plan presented informally to the Planning Board, with the full support of our imbecile mayor would place 105 town houses and 141 second- and third-story condominiums over 60,000 square feet of commercial store front space on the 16 acre Minute Maid property in Hightstown. The other 21 acres of this property is in East Windsor.
The condominiums were compared to the ones at Palmer Square in Princeton even though they overlook Michael’s Plaza and a Laundromat. The units would sell at $400,000 and the total ratable would be over $100 million. If it sounds to good to be true, it is. At best, the project will be in the $100,000-per-unit range and the commercial space unrentable. The housing will be all investor-owned rental units.
The concept presentation and its drawings of downtown Hightstown relocated to Minute Maid Property with storefronts next to sidewalks on Mercer Street was almost comical in that we were told it is modeled after Palmer Square. The owners obviously thought our Planning Board was composed of buffoons. They already knew the mayor was, in how anxious he was to accept anything presented.
And then there is Marcy Marshall, who mimics the fanaticism of Hoffman’s letter. The Hasidic Rabbi owners have the whole program prepared to accomplish their goals and silence critics. Get the mindless to shout with great anger and offense that you are a bigot and anti-Semite for blocking or frustrating the owners’ efforts to expand outside of Lakewood and create more nonprofit units to avoid property taxes.
Soon their will be letters from stupid politicians, who they own, attacking me to create a greater cover for an expansion of nonprofit housing units in communities outside of Lakewood. And when our Planning Board, through zoning, disallows nonprofits to form on the Minute Maid site, they too will be called bigots and anti-Semitic. But they can’t prevent churches or temples. We could then have 246 nonprofit temples.
Eugene E. Sarafin
Hightstown
Editor’s note: Representatives of the owners have said it is not their intent to have nonprofit uses on the property. Mr. Sarafin, despite requests, has offered no proof that the owners are Hasidic.
‘Keep up pressure’ on Amy’s behalf
To the editor:
Thank you for having the courage to speak up about the disappearance of Amy.
The inconvenient truth is that she was inconvenient to this lothario.
We should all be yelling about this unexplained vanishing act. Something is very rotten here. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that.
We shouldn’t be hush, hush, in order not to offend the local officials. Keep up the pressure.
Sara Smith
Hightstown
Twin Rivers’ whole story not told
To the editor:
A well written article by Matt Chiappardi in last week’s Herald must be supplemented a bit.
Mr. Chiappardi, I believe, wrote that the court said in its decision, "our holding does not suggest, however, that residents of a home owners association may never successfully seek constitutional redress against the governing association that infringes their free speech rights."
I believe that the ACLU’s original claim was that the New Jersey State constitution applies to the right of free speech in Twin Rivers. Twin Rivers countered that the constitution does not apply Twin Rivers, instead the business judgment rule applies.
I believe that the business judgment rules states that a private association can conduct its affairs or amend its own governing documents as long as the actions taken by the board are done in good faith, in fair dealing and are reasonable and allowed by the statutes and/or the governing document. Then the courts should not have to second guess any actions taken by the board. However, the courts also stated that if actions taken by a board are fraudulent, self-dealing, unreasonable, taken in bad faith and are in violation of the statutes or the governing documents then they are subject to judicial intervention.
The Supreme Court rules only on the applicability of the state constitution, not the federal constitution, to board actions. They did not rule on whether or not a lot of actions taken by the Twin Rivers Home Owners Assoc. were adopted in good faith and were fair or reasonable.
I would like to point out that the lawyer for the CBTR only focused on violations of state constitutional rights to free expression. However, I hope that it will be possible for the home owners to redress what I believe are acts of bad faith and self-dealing in the future.
My observation is that what Twin Rivers told the courts about their version of reasonableness is not what they practice. I also believe that if Twin Rivers has to tell mistruths to the courts then their arguments can’t be that good.
As an example, the board told the courts that people may put political signs in their windows and on their front lawns behind the flower beds because Twin Rivers has the right to control aesthetics of the common grounds and cannot allow signs that interfere with the mowing and upkeep of the common grounds.
Political signs are an expression of free speech. I’d like to ask Mr. Pohl to answer this question, which is, can I put my political signs wherever the Recreation Committee places its signs. If not, then I believe I can truly say so much for free speech in Twin Rivers.
Alan Wally
East Windsor
Thanks offered after Birthday Bash
To the editor:
The day seemed to be made for us! The warm weather with a slight breeze set the scene for Better Beginnings’ 40th Birthday Bash celebration!
Better Beginnings’ staff and volunteers converted the First Presbyterian Church parking lot into a mini carnival. In keeping with Better Beginnings philosophy, children’s games were win-win, as set up by the various classroom teams. Each child walked away from each "booth" with a prize. Another favorite among the children was the bouncing apparatus. Equally enjoyed were the visits from our friendly Hightstown police officers who came in their patrol cars and the volunteer firemen who rode in on their fire truck. The children enjoyed climbing onto the trucks and sitting behind the wheel of the patrol car.
Oh, and for those who missed the event, you also missed the opportunity to see debut appearances by our very own diminutive actors and actresses who provided the entertainment. The "ABC Song" and "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" are just two of the performances presented.
Not to frown, you can always come by Better Beginnings for a repeat performance.
The highlight of the event was the food! Joe Mannino, proprietor of Mannino’s 4 Pizzeria & Trattoria is the newest friend member of the Better Beginnings’ family and we feel most fortunate. Already he has hosted three events to benefit Better Beginnings and this one was by far the most spectacular. Joe Mannino provided boxes and boxes of free pizzas and trays of pasta that disappeared so fast that one would think we had magicians as part of the event!
We were also joined by friends who have generously supported Better Beginnings throughout the years. Mayor Janice Mironov made a special appearance to present her congratulations and a most generous check, being the first to contribute to our Dream Makers Club.
Many thanks to the staff and board members who came out to set up and host the games and events. Thank you Patrolman David Chenoweth and Sgt. Glen Runge for taking pictures with the children and adults, for letting the children sit behind the wheel, directing traffic and for the many giveaways. Thank you, volunteer firemen Scott Jenkins and Roger Levous for supervising the children as they climbed up and down the big fire truck. Thank you DJ Alberto for providing the feisty music and thank you to neighbors for not minding the joyous sounds of fun and music that may have been at times a wee bit noisy. The First Presbyterian Church of Hightstown and Reverend Bryan Franzen, mil gracias (millions thanks) for providing a "home, sweet home" to our families, children and staff throughout the many years, for many blessings, and for the various equipment used for the event.
A great party planner makes possible a great party; we salute Iris Rodriguez for executing a most memorable event. A special thank you to Luis Ortiz, Liston Abbott and Norman Randolph, those who stayed after the fun ended to help bring down the tents and clean up.
Luz Nereida Horta
executive director
Better Beginnings Child Development Center

